1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the general field of medicating devices for human nails and adjacent tissue and, more particularly, a medicating device utilizing a viscoelastic gel pad which is supported by a perimetric elastic retaining ring and a porous meshwork attached to the elastic retaining ring.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Historically there have been many different ways of delivering medication to human nails and adjoining tissue. By far the most commonly employed means have been topically applied formulations such as creams, ointments, tinctures, aqueous solutions, and the like. Unfortunately, when these types of formulations are applied to pedal lesions, the medication is quickly absorbed or rubbed off by socks or shoes. For example, the treatment of mycotic (fungally infected) toenails by the application of antifungal creams or ointments is generally an exercise in futility, because the medication will not remain on the nail once socks or shoes are applied. One method of treating mycotic toenails involves constructing a medication reservoir with an occlusive dressing such as plastic tape or latex from a surgeon's gIove. This technique, and even "simplified" versions of it, are very awkward and time consuming. I previously addressed this problem by designing a toenail medicating bandage which incorporated a medication reservoir to hold a urea ointment or other pharmacologically active agent. That toenail medicating bandage comprised an "adhesive seal" one or two millimeters thick which encircled the diseased nail, and a flexible, stretchable, waterproof diaphragm connected to the upper circumference of the adhesive seal such that a sealed-in medication reservoir was formed. The reservoir was to be filled with a medicinal ointment, cream, jelly, or similar drug vehicle and incorporated into a flexible, waterproof, digital bandage. When applied to the digit, the adhesive seal was designed to prevent medication from being squeezed out of the drug reservoir through a cleft in the adhesive seal/tissue interface. During the field trials of that particular medicating bandage, it was discovered that the extreme pressure generated within the medication reservoir by shoes exceeded the adhesive capabilities of commonly employed medical adhesives, and that the ointment, cream, or jelly would inevitably be squeezed through a failure in the adhesive seal/tissue interface and leak out of the medication reservoir. Stronger adhesives were contemplated but not employed due to the danger of damaging tissue. This problem was partially resolved when 1 inserted a pad of the viscoelastic hydrophilic gel, as described by King in U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,006, into the medication reservoir. During field trials of this medicating bandage, I discovered that the gel pad resisted being squeezed out of the medication reservoir and, in subsequent development utilizing a perimetric elastic retaining ring with an attached porous meshwork, the resulting medication-supplying unit was of sufficient strength that the adhesive means of the seal could be eliminated altogether. This development, of course, meant that the danger of tearing or avulsing soft tissue when removing the medication device was greatly reduced. This also meant that a sealed-in medication reservoir was no longer required to perform the intended function, which resulted in a highly simplified medicator for diseased human nails which takes advantage of the structural strength of viscoelastic gels when contained within a perimetric retaining ring and additionally supported by an attached porous meshwork.